Ldap Vs Active Directory | Foxpass

LDAP vs. Active directory Getting access to the Active Directory (AD) of any network is a hacker’s dream. This is because hacker knows that access to one of your user accounts is access to the whole network. It’s is just a matter of time, and if your data security protections can detect a foreign entity and stop the data breach.

Hence, it is important to understand in details about Active Directory. How you can protect your network from unauthorized access. This also includes understanding LDAP and the difference between them both.

What is LDAP? Lightweight Directory Access Protocol​ or also known as LDAP is an open and cross-protocol used to control directory services. LDAP commands applications using their communication language on how to interact with other directory services servers.

Usually Directory services store users information, their passwords, and computer accounts. They are also responsible for sharing this information with other entities on the network. These are sensitive information and in the wrong hand can be disastrous.

What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is a directory service implementation that offers all types of functionality with the directory such as authentication, policy administration, group, and user management, etc.

Active Directory is a Microsoft product and one the most popular directory services system used. This is because it support both Kerberos and LDAP. AD provides Single-SignOn (SSO) and works seamlessly in an office space and even over VPN. As AD is not cross-platform, companies have to implement access management software to manage the various logins saved over different devices and platforms in a single place.

AD does support LDAP, this means both can be part of your access management scheme. It is just one example of a directory service that supports LDAP. Other options are, OpenLDAP, Red Hat Directory Service Apache Directory Server, etc.

Relationship between LDAP and Active Directory LDAP is just a way to speak to​ Active Directory​. It is a protocol that many different access management solutions and directory services can understand.

Relationship between LDAP and AD is similar to the relationship between HTTP and Apache: ● ●

HTTP is a web protocol, and Apache is a web server that uses HTTP protocol.

LDAP is a directory service protocol, and AD is a directory server that uses LDAP protocol.

LDAP vs. Active directory So, if you hear someone say, “We don’t use Active Directory, but have LDAP.” What they mean is that they are using an alternative to AD. LDAP authentication Many companies even use LDAP authentication to secure their data. It can divide into two types simple and SASL (Simple Authentication and Security Layer). This along with AD (with TLS encryption) make it impossible for hackers to access your network.

Difference between LDAP and AD Active Directory is a Microsoft product that is largely used for Windows users, devices, and application.

It requires a Microsoft Domain Controller so that the user can use Single Sign-on to their Windows resources within their network.

LDAP, on the other hand, is a cross-platform service that has worked with many Operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and more. LDAP also doesn’t follow the AD concept of single sign-on. Hence, we get an open-source solution which is more flexible than AD and other similar directory servers.

Another fundamental difference between the two is how they approach device management. AD manages Windows devices through Group Policy Objects (GPOs). While no such concept exists within LDAP. So, it is very clear that AD and LDAP work on the same object but perform a different function. An intelligent company would use both to protect their network and the data within.